Where Angels Tread
by TardisAngel21
Summary: Skip Muck isn't just Gabriel's vessel, he IS Gabriel. How will Castiel and the Winchester Boys react learning about a resurrected archangel's tour of duty in World War II. Written for Fic for Victory on Livejournal.


**TITLE:** Where Angels Tread

**AUTHOR:** Tardisangel21

**PROMPT on Livejournal**: Crossover with Supernatural. Skip isn't just Gabriel's vessel, he IS Gabriel; his reactions to his "death," Penk's actual death, Malarkey's reaction, etc., and what happens next. The Winchesters finding out about his WWII service and their reactions would be a plus but isn't required.

**PAIRING:** Skip/Malarkey, Skip/Penkala, Dean/Castiel if you squint, Sam/Gabriel

**RATING:** T for Language.

**CROSSOVER:** Band of Brothers/Supernatural

**DISCLAIMER:** This is not intended to be a representation of the actual men of Easy Company, no disrespect is intended. This story is purely fiction. I did use a quote from the book "Easy Company Solider" by Donald Malarkey. Erik Kripke and CW own Supernatural.

* * *

It was another relatively normal day for the Winchester boys between cases when the manager of their current seedy hotel delivered a non-descript manila envelope addressed to the both of them.

"What is it?" Sam asked getting up from the bed he was sitting on researching the most recent big bad, as he walked over to Dean who had sat down at the rickety table next to the window.

"Not sure Sammy, someone sent us a package." Dean said waving the envelope.

"What do you think it is?" Sam asked eyeing the envelope with disdain.

"Who knows, but someone knows we're here, and I sure as hell want to find out who. Plus even if what's in this envelope is demonic then they just infected the manager and probably half of the US Postal Service." Dean said shaking it by his ear. "Sounds like something insides rattling though."

Sitting down, Dean opened the envelope away from him and dumped the contents out on the table. Dean picked up one end of the beaded string and held it up to look at it better under the light.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Don't know Sam. Looks like some sort of broken rosary."

"Let me see." Sam said as Dean dropped the Rosary into Sam's hand.

Sam held it for a moment before dropping it to the table as he held his wrist as his hand started mysteriously smoking.

"Fuck!"

"What the hell happened Sam?"

"Don't know Dean, my hand just started burning as I held it."

"Go get some cold water on it. Who in the hell does this thing belong to?" Dean roared worried about Sam's injury and eyeing the discarded Rosary with contempt.

"It belongs to Gabriel" a voice answered behind them.

Dean whipped around and in the corner of the room stood a very stoic Castiel.

"Dammit Cas, what did I say about appearing out of nowhere?" Dean sneered.

Cas tilting his head slightly looked at the Winchester boys before answering, "You said it was a bad thing."

Sam snorted hearing Cas' answer as he ran his hand under cold water in the bathroom. Coming out he stood looking at the Rosary before turning to Cas.

"What can you tell us about it Cas? Why would someone send us a rosary? Let alone one that belongs to a very deceased Gabriel?"

"Maybe they want us to convert?" Dean said with a smirk.

"That's not it at all, may I?" Cas said walking over and holding out his hand.

"Sure, knock yourself out." Dean said dropping the rosary into Castiel's hand.

Cas covered the rosary with his other hand and closing his eyes stood perfectly still for a couple minutes as the two boys shared worried glances between themselves.

Cas opened his eyes and Sam and Dean both noticed his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

"What is it Cas?" Dean said laying a hand on Cas shoulder.

"I just spoke to some of the other angels` apparently my brother is alive."

"Who is alive Cas?" Dean asked with concern.

"Gabriel" Cas answered as he ran a finger over the beads of the rosary in his hand with reverence.

"Gabriel is alive?" Sam said with surprise.

"Someone resurrected an archangel, well I'll be damned" Dean said shaking his head as memories of Gabriel's death at the hands of Lucifer and video afterward flashed in his head.

"Indeed, and apparently that person was you both you and Sam. Seems the moment you touched the rosary your life energy was sent to Gabriel. This rosary hasn't been in human hands since 1945. Apparently you and Gabriel share a bond now."

"1945?" Sam asked raising an eyebrow as he looked at Dean.

Dean tried to hold back his glee as he mouthed "you have a bond" at Sam who looked back before shrugging. Both brothers got serious again and they both looked back at Cas.

"Apparently this belonged to Gabriel on his Human Quest."

"What the hell is an Angel Human Quest? Like searching for a shrubbery or the Holy Grail?" Dean quipped.

Ignoring Dean, Castiel continued, "Angels can choose to come to Earth and live as a human. We retain our memories of being an Angel. Many of us, myself included couldn't handle it. Our grace couldn't handle the feeling of it. The feeling of being wingless and not feeling the Earth move beneath our feet, or see the life and death of everything around us, or…"

"We get it" Dean interrupted, "it was difficult for you."

"Not just difficult Dean. Impossible. It's unfathomable for an angel to live as a human. It's like containing a hurricane in a coffee mug. Gabriel is one of the few of us who wanted to see what a human life cycle was like. We must go, he's waiting for us."

"You mean Gabriel wants to talk to us?" Sam asked a tone of optimism rising in his voice.

"Indeed. He wants to tell you his story."

"Well, what are waiting for? Let's go." Sam said placing a hand on Cas' shoulder.

"What the hell. I'm sorta interested in hearing what the guy has to say." Dean said mirroring Sam and placing a hand on Cas' other shoulder.

Cas reached up and placing two fingers on both men's foreheads before the three blinked out of sight.

* * *

Dean and Sam opened their eyes and tried to get reoriented. Looking around they noticed they stood in a green field filled with white crosses. Off to their left was a cliff that overlooked a beige sandy beach and the ocean. It was a beautiful place but as Sam looked around he noticed that each cross had a name, rank, and date of death.

"Cas where the hell are we? It looks like you brought us to a graveyard?" Dean asked turning around slowly as he took in his surroundings.

"You are in a graveyard…" Cas started before he was interrupted.

"Got in one Dean-o. Welcome to you too Samsquatch and little brother Cassie to Colleville-sur-Mer, or by its more famous name… Normandy." Gabriel said turning around with a flourish and a bow from where he stood staring at the beach.

"You wanted to meet us in Normandy, that's a bit…" Dean started.

"Morbid." Sam finished.

Dean looked over with a quizzical glare, "I was going for dramatic."

"Come, let's sit under this tree; I have a bit of a story to tell you boys, I even brought refreshments." Gabriel said waving an arm toward a large oak tree that stood as a sentinel looking over the beach. A large picnic lunch sat underneath it waiting to be enjoyed.

Dean and Sam looked at each other and shrugging went over and joined the two angels.

"As long as there's food. I'll stay as long as need be." Dean said sitting down and grabbing a chicken leg. Not noticing that Gabriel stuck a lollipop in his mouth.

"This looks great. Thanks Gabriel." Sam said before grabbing a coke.

As they all got comfortable, Gabriel started his story.

"Every angel has the option to do a "human quest". Many can't handle it. They come down for a minute, an hour, maybe a day. I and a few others are the only ones who have been strong enough to come down for a lifetime."

"How long were you down here for" Sam asked.

"Approximately 22 years. When I came down I had no idea my older brother Lucifer decided to break free from his cage and come to Earth as well."

"Lucifer became human?" Sam questioned.

"Let me guess the asshat was evil?" Dean sneered.

"Indeed. He and many of his followers tried to create a master race of humans. You may have heard of his incarnation. He went by the name of Adolf Hitler. Thankfully he got what was coming to him."

"Suicide in a bunker seems fitting if you ask me." Sam said.

"I'd say death doesn't seem enough for the dick, but enough about Lucifer please continue." Dean said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, please continue" Castiel added as he gave Dean a stern look. Dean undaunted just went back to eating.

"My childhood as a human was uneventful, although I did swim the Niagara on a whim as a teenager. To this day I'm unclear as to how I survived the strong current it must have been divine intervention of you ask me. Other than that, my life was pretty peaceful and mundane until December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Then everyone and I mean everyone wanted to avenge the United States. I'm not just talking about humans, but angels upstairs as well."

"I bet. Had I been alive during that time I would have signed up in a heartbeat." Sam said.

"You and me both Sam. Nobody,and I mean nobody messes with the good ol' US of A." Dean replied.

Gabriel grinned and nodded, "Well I could have joined any branch of military they would have all accepted me. They all wanted any able body to fight, but in the end I signed up for a new area of the military. Something called Paratroopers. It paid $50 more a paycheck. I figured I could use it to create a nest egg for me and my girlfriend. I signed up and after basic training ended up getting stationed at Camp Toccoa in Georgia. I survived what some would call "rigorous training" and I was placed into Easy Company under the leadership of Capt. Herbert Sobel."

"I was in charge of looking over Herbert during the war." Castiel said.

"You were?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, I admit his methods were unorthodox but he knew what he was doing." Castiel explained.

"That could be debated brother" Gabriel said with a smirk.

"He was that bad?" Sam asked.

"He may have made one of the toughest companies in the whole 101st Airborne." Gabriel said with a sad smile. "Sobel believed that if he was tough on us that no one would say that 'Easy Company had it easy.' That man was sadistic. Case in point, he fed us a spaghetti dinner one day and then in the middle of the meal he called us to attention and informed us that we had us run up Currahee hill. That hill was three miles up and three miles down...Needless to say many of us never touched Italian food again after that run."

"I bet. Italian is good going down but a bitch coming back up, take it from experience." Dean said with a grimace.

"You would know." Sam quipped.

"I'm just sayin' the guy sounds like one un-right son of a bitch." Dean countered.

"Well put Dean-o. Many of us, myself included lost our dinner on that run but my best friends Don Malarkey and Penkala and some others helped us pull together and together we fought our way up to the top. We refused to let him win. Sobel did make one misstep and that was to try and make life a living hell for Capt. Dick Winters.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"Apparently he tried to pull a fast one over on Dick Winters and told him to either go with the lie that a messenger never got to him or be court martialed. Winters chose court martial.

"Smart man that Winters." Dean said in all seriousness.

"He was very smart Dean. While we were all in England for more training some of the other men had two failed training missions under Sobel. He apparently ended up getting half his men 'fake killed.' After that, all the Sergeants signed declarations stating they refused to go into battle following Sobel's command. They truly embodied the term Currahee."

"Currahee….Isn't that Native American for 'we stand alone together'?" Castiel inquired.

"Indeed, the men would have rather resigned in the middle of a war than follow Sobel into battle." Gabriel said before taking a swig of beer.

"Isn't that treason?" Dean asked.

"You bet your sweet tuckus it was. I'm surprised the upper Brass didn't shoot them for their disobedience but apparently the higher ranks were well aware of Sobel's incompetence."

"Did they give him a pink slip?" Sam asked.

"They don't fire you from the military Sammy, they just reshuffle you elsewhere." Dean explained.

"Exacto-mundo, someone's been reading up on military history." Gabriel said with a wink. "He ended up at another military base training replacements how to be Paratroopers. After he left we were under the leadership of 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan. He was with us until Normandy. The day we were supposed to jump we got word that the jump zone was covered by heavy clouds. So to help us pass the time they had us watch a movie."

"Did it help?" Sam asked.

"Not really. Many of us couldn't really concentrate on the film as our mind was on what awaited us after we jumped. You tended to play the 'what if' game."

"The what if game?" Dean asked.

"A game where the point was to think of every scenario that might happen to you while in war. WHAT IF I get shot in the leg, WHAT IF I lose a leg, we tried not to think of WHAT IF I don't come home. We were invincible we were goddamn Airborne. We would come home or so we thought. The next day they treated us to ice cream when we got word we were going to jump, even got a nifty letter. We then packed up our gear and chutes, and before we got on the plane they gave us air sickness pills for the "flight". Later we would find out they were just anxiety pills. It calmed our nerves as we had a long flight ahead of us."

"Weren't you upset that they lied to you and gave you psychotropic medication?" Dean inquired.

"Nah, if it helped take our mind off the oncoming battle then I was all for it. Right before we hit the jump zone our planes entered a large airfield of ack-ack fire from German guns on the ground. We were going too fast when the green jump light went on. Many men lost some of their supplies they had in their leg bag."

"Leg bag?" Sam asked.

"Apparently the military thought it would be a good idea to attach a bag filled with supplies to a paratrooper's leg so they would have everything they needed when they landed. Unfortunately they didn't anticipate that we would be jumping going about 120 miles per hour. The sheer wind velocity ripped the bag clean off. Many of the men had their gun in that bag."

"Well that was smart. Good way to get some poor bastard on the ground killed. How'd he die Sarg? Died by a fallin' leg bag." Dean joked.

Ignoring Dean's lame attempt at humor Sam asked "What happened next Gabriel?" noticing the sad look on Gabriel's face.

"We jumped. Sorry…" Gabriel stopped and getting up walked over to the edge of the cliff and stared out at the ocean.

"Look, I'm sorry about my lame joke. You okay man?" Dean asked walking over. Dean was taken aback at the shine of unshed tears in Gabriel's eyes.

"Yea…just tough remembering my human life and all I went through" Gabriel said blinking back his tears.

Clearing his throat, Gabriel walked back to the blanket and sat back down. Staring at his hands he continued his tale.

"Many men didn't make it that fateful day. We lost almost all of our leaders when their plane got hit by a mortar round and the fuselage filled with flames. Meehan and his men went down with the plane. Others not as lucky got shot before they even hit the ground or landed in a tree and were killed by German soldiers on the ground."

"Man that would blow. Get that far just to die before you even hit the ground." Dean said solemnly.

"I agree. To know that when you jumped you didn't know if you would make it to the ground alive. You must have been pretty lucky." Sam said.

"We were. Someone upstairs had an eye on Easy Company. When we landed we were all scattered throughout the countryside. We were miles away from our intended drop zone. We had to make our way in the dark using our clickers and whatever weapon we could find. Anyone we came across in the dark we whispered 'Flash' and if it was one of our men they would reply 'Thunder.'" Gabriel looked up staring off into the distance as if he was reliving that night.

"That night we met up with other men from Easy Company. The next day we all met up close to Brecourt Manor. We found out that Capt. Winters was now in command as no one had seen Meehan or any of the other officers. "

"Because they all went down with their plane." Sam assumed.

"Exactly. Winters became our leader after he and some of the other men went and captured Brecourt Manor by taking out three German machine guns that were aimed at that beach over there." Gabriel said pointing off in the distance.

"What happened next?" Castiel asked.

"After Normandy we moved on to Caretan a small town of about 4000 people. We were able to take it but some of the men got pretty badly injured in the process. I'll never forget seeing a chaplain with no weapon out in the open giving last rights to the dead. I mean I'm all for ushering souls to heaven but seriously? Going out in the open, praying over some poor sod on the ground and hoping some bullet doesn't end up lodged in your skull. Stupid if you ask me." Gabriel muttered shaking his head.

"Does seem odd" Dean said imagining a priest praying over dead soldiers.

"That's what chaplains are for, giving last rites to the fallen" Castiel said with confusion.

"What I think they mean Cas, is that is seems dangerous, being exposed like that with no means of protecting yourself" Sam explained gently.

Castiel gave them all a quizzical look "He was protected by the Lord."

"Irrelevant man, it's stupid to leave yourself exposed like that in a battle." Dean said anger edging into his voice.

"Where did you go next Gabriel" Sam asked, trying to change the subject.

"After Caretan, we made our way into Holland, that's where I earned my second jump star. You should have seen the reception we got Dean, we were like rock stars. The people lined the streets welcoming us as liberators. The women too."

Castiel, Sam, and Dean noticed Gabriel's wistful look as he remembered a conversation he had with Malarkey back in Holland.

* * *

"_Think we have time enough to go get laid Malark?" Skip asked looking at all the beautiful women waving at them._

"_Skip! You have a girlfriend back home! Plus, we have a mission to do. I'm sure we'd get our asses handed to us if we just slipped away for a quickie." Malarkey said with mirth._

_Skip smirked as he looked over a made eye contact busty blonde with hazel eyes with more curves than a railroad track._

"_I'm sure I could just grab a pretty girl slip into an alleyway, then bing, bang, boom we're on our merry little way to save the world." Skip said with a wink. _

_Malarkey burst out laughing that made a few of the officers look at them strangely. Malarkey reached over and punched Skip lightly in the arm. Before either could say anything two frothy mugs of beer were put in their hands._

_Looking at each other they took large gulps before looking at each other and grinning madly._

"_This day just got a whole lot better" Malarkey said slapping Skip on the back._

"_I still say we still have time to go get laid" Skip muttered._

"_Maybe later, when we don't have to worry about the war" Malarkey said with a small smile._

"_Whatever you say Malark." _

* * *

"I hate to ask it, but how did you end up dying Gabriel?" Sam inquired wincing in reaction to his own lack of tack.

Gabriel grew subdued and looking at Cas who nodded. Gabriel then turned and looked at both Dean and Sam simply said, "I'll let you see for yourself" and with a snap of his fingers Dean and Sam found themselves in the Ardennes forest in the middle of a fire fight.

"Son of a bitch! He zapped us right in the middle of World War II" Dean roared whipping around looking for safety.

"I know…" Sam started but was interrupted by men screaming "IN COMING!"

Dean and Sam ducked and weaved their way down toward the end of the line as the biting cold began nipping at their exposed skin as explosions pounded the ground around them.

Dean yelled over to Sam "do you think we're safe?"

"I don't know…" Sam started as a 55mm shell hit the tree above them exploding it into a shower of splinters and bark.

"Apparently not" Sam tried replying over the explosions as he was running for cover.

"Keep Running!" Dean yelled as both of them ran through the forest trying desperately to find cover as trees around them exploded and turned into wooden missiles. They jumped down in a foxhole and looking over noticed they had a clear view of Skip's foxhole.

"Dean…that's him. That's Gabriel" Sam said animatedly pointing over to the foxhole.

"I know Sam. Let's see how this plays out. Not sure I'm going to like what I see."

"You and me both Dean." Sam said sullenly.

They noticed another guy with him and deduced he must have been Penkala as they could make out his name on his uniform. They saw another solider not that far off named Luz running toward them but just as he got near he tripped. Skip and Penkala kept waving for him to come join them when suddenly there was a large flash and boom. Sam and Dean ducked down as a rain of dirt and debris fell down upon them. They both gingerly looked up as their ears were ringing from being in such close proximity to the explosion and looking over they saw in dismay that Skip's foxhole was empty.

"Jesus Fuckin' Christ Sammy, they just got vaporized" Dean yelled over the ringing in his ears.

"Dude, I know."

They watched as the solider Luz who had been running toward Skip and Penkala got up shakily and made his way over to another foxhole about 20 feet away.

They could read his lips as he mouthed to a soldier named Lipton that "Skip and Penkala are dead" and watched as the other man in the foxhole offer a cigarette.

"Damn, I'd need a cigarette too after seeing that" Dean muttered.

"Agreed. Well we saw how he died, now how the heck do you think we'll get back?" Sam asked.

"Don't know Sam but maybe the answer might be in that foxhole."

"Dean, dude, you are not going over and looking into that, are you?" Sam said turning a light shade of green at the thought of seeing human remains.

"Do you see any large feathered canaries we can catch a ride on around here Sammy? No. Didn't think so. The answer is over in that foxhole. Now come on and stop being such a little bitch about it."

"Fine, but if I throw up no laughing" Sam replied.

"Fine." Dean replied before adding "Bitch."

"Jerk" Sam added without thinking.

Dean just gave Sam a sideways glare as they got up and walked over to the smoldering foxhole and looked in.

"Nothing left except charred dirt, a bit of bone and the remains of a Rosary" Sam said as he took inventory.

Dean reached down for the smoldering Rosary.

"Dean we shouldn't touch that" Sam started but quickly stopped as Dean quickly picked up the remains of the Rosary and held it in his hand.

Giving Sam a hard look, Dean tilted his head toward his hand indicating Sam to touch it as well.

Sam closed his eyes and placed a hand on top of Dean's. The sound of explosions made way to quiet and gentle breezes and the distant sound of waves crashing on a beach.

Dean pried an eye open to check out his surrounding and grinning wildly clasped a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"We're back!"

Sam quickly opened his eyes and looking around smiled as he noticed they were back in Normandy.

Both Gabriel and Castiel sat side by side on the bench. Both Dean and Sam noticed that Gabriel's eyes were red from crying. The two Winchesters walked over and without saying anything bent down and hugged Gabriel.

"Gabriel. I'm so sorry." Sam said quietly as no words could do justice to what they had just witnessed.

"Yea, hellava way to go, thank God it was quick." Dean said as he patted Gabriel's shoulder looking over and meeting Cas' eyes.

Dean and Sam looked at each other and went and sat down on the blanket and waited for Gabriel to collect himself and continue his tale.

"What happened after your Death Gabriel?" Sam probed out of curiosity.

"I wasn't ready to be an angel again. I had plans. I had a girl! I wasn't meant to die!"Gabriel said standing up and storming off toward the trees. He stopped and reaching out placed a hand on the bark of one of the elm trees_. "_I watched as Penk was ushered into heaven. So I hid. I couldn't show him my full glory. I was afraid. Such a human thing these feelings, but it was the truth. So I found a corner of Earth and hid. I changed my name. I became Loki or as you knew me as the Trickster. I lived by the motto, "Eat, Drink, and Be Merry because tomorrow you die."_  
_  
Dean got up and walked over and placed a hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

"You need to tell Penkala the truth, man. He's probably worried sick you went to go visit your brother downstairs."

"I…I never thought of that. I was certain he'd be angry with me."

"Why would you think he'd be angry at you Gabriel, wouldn't he want to know the truth about your identity?" Sam asked.

"I agree with both Dean and Sam brother. The truth will set you free." Castiel said his blue eyes boring into Gabriel with determination.

"It's been almost 60 years since I last saw him. He had no clue I was an angel in disguise."

"I don't care that you're an angel" Penkala said as he stepped out from behind a pine tree. They all noticed that Anna was standing not far behind him. Gabriel turned from Dean and walking towards Penkala stopped and was overcome by emotion and fell to his knees.

"Penk?"

"Heya Skip!"

Penkala walked forward and kneeling before Gabriel wrapped the archangel in a crushing hug. All Gabriel could do was cling to his friend as tears of gratitude fell.

"We're brothers. We fought side by side. We gave our lives to the greater good Skip. I could never be angry at you." Penkala said with a smile.

"I was so afraid Penk. I figured you'd blame me for not saving you from death."

"Why? Death is a part of war. We all knew our time would come, plus we were trying to save Luz. We never even saw that round coming at us."

"Were you in any pain?" Gabriel asked.

"Were you?" Penkala retorted.

Both broke into soft laughter as the years fell away and they were back as they were in the war.

Penkala gave Gabriel another hug.

"I gotta get back to the guys, their probably wondering where I went to. Save you a seat?"

Nodding as Gabriel fought through the knot in his throat "I'll be right there. Got something I have to do first."

Penkala tilted his head as Anna whispered in his ear.

"Today is the day. He's going to need you." Penkala said as he faded from view.

"What does that mean?" Dean asked.

"It means that Gabriel is needed elsewhere" Castiel said walking over to stand with the Winchester brothers.

Gabriel looked at them and simply said "Thank you" as he disappeared with the sound of flapping wings.

* * *

"_**So on that day in 2004 when I visited the cemetery where Skip is buried, I looked at that white marble cross and that name—Sgt. Warren H. Muck—and thought of the kid who swam the Niagara. The march to Atlanta. The smile. I knelt, placed flowers at the base of that cross. Prayed. All the things I'd done before when I'd come to see his grave. Only this time I did something different, long overdue, and hard but freeing. I cried sixty years' worth of tears.**_

"_**Easy Company Soldier" by Sgt. Don Malarkey**_

Gabriel stood in the trees watching Don grieve. The sheer force of grief hit Gabriel like a gale force and almost knocked him off his feet. This visit was different. Gabriel had watched every time Don had visited his grave and waited patiently. Finally today the tears had come. _"Better late than never"_ he thought. Gabriel knew he had to do something to help his friend. He had to put some sort of balm on his soul and let him know Skip and the others were okay. True he wasn't supposed to interfere with the lives of humans. Except this was his best friend. Consequences be damned.

Concentrating, he changed his appearance to that of how he looked that fateful day in his foxhole in Bastogne. Walking around to the other side of the cross he stood and softly said "Don?"

Malarkey looked up in surprise.

"Skip?" Malarkey asked, rubbing at his eyes with his handkerchief.

"Hey Don."

"Are you real? Am I dreaming?"

"You aren't dreaming Don. I'm here."

"Oh God. Am I dead?"

"You're still alive Don. It's not your time yet."

"Then what are you doing here?" Don inquired sheepishly.

"I wanted to come and let you know that everyone is okay" Gabriel/Skip said with a sad smile.

"I have so many questions…"

"Ask away."

"Why me Skip?"

"What do you mean?"

"So many died Skip? All the MIA's, WIA's who are gone or wounded and me without a scratch. I don't understand."

"Some wounds you can't see with the eye Malark, doesn't mean they aren't there."

"I should be up there with you and the others…" Don said through his tears.

"You will someday. You'll see. All the men who have gone before are up there. Easy Company has their very own special corner of heaven. It's sacred ground. Luz, Penkala, and some of the others have constant card games going on. I got a special gift for you Don, close your eyes, no peeking."

"_What kind of gift could he have for me?"_ Don thought.

Don did what he was told. Skip stood up and revealed his full glory as he walked around behind Malarkey and stooping down wrapped both his arms and wings around Don in a loving embrace. Gabriel smiled as he felt Don clutch tightly at his feathers. Leaning his head down Gabriel kissed Malarkey's head as they blinked out of view.

Don couldn't tell how long he held on to Gabriel all he knew was he felt warm, safe, and at peace. He did notice the air change from the cool weather to warmth that radiated into his very soul.

"Open your eyes" Gabriel said as he changed back into his human version.

Don looked around and noticed he was back at what appeared to be Eagle's Nest. Looking around he noticed he was in a large banquet hall. All the men who had gone before were youthful again milling around doing what they had enjoyed doing during down time in the war. Liebgott and Webster were off in a corner having a heated debate in German. Luz, Welsh, Nixon, and Penkala were having a friendly game of Poker and from the looks of it Penk was losing badly. Nixon was still nursing a glass of Vat 69. "_Glad some things never change"_ Don thought happily. Welsh's wife Kitty looked radiant as she sat behind Welsh with a small hand on his shoulder giving him her gentle support.

Turning Don stepped away from Gabriel and really looked at his friend with questioning eyes.

"Are you an angel Skip?" Don asked in awe as he watched Skip's reaction.

"I was before I came down to earth."

"What was your name?"

"You may have heard of me. I was known in heaven as Gabriel or as my close friends called me Gabe."

Don couldn't help the tears that fell.

"I'm so sorry…." Don started.

Gabriel looked at him with confusion. "For what?" he asked.

"Having to come down to Earth and go to war?"

"Oh Don, it wasn't that bad. I had a good life. Plus we angels are used to war. We fight the forces of evil all the time. "

"Were others down there when you were fighting in World War II?" Don asked.

"Many were. You wouldn't believe the sheer number of us who were fighting alongside the Allied forces, giving peace to soldiers, ushering others into heaven. It was a non-stop operation." Gabriel explained. "Of course I found out all about that after I crossed back over. While I was with you and the men of Easy Company I had no idea other angels were walking amongst us."

Don nodded in understanding as it made perfect sense. Looking around he noticed that none of the men noticed either him or Skip. All except for Penkala who waved happily at them.

Don couldn't help the instant reflex of his hand rising to wave back.

"Can Penkala see me?"

"Yes, but none of the other men can."

Suddenly the door behind them opened and in walked Major Winters.

All the men jumped to their feet and cheered in unison "CURRAHEE!"

"CURRAHEE" Winters replied.

Don watched as Welsh and Nixon jumped up from their chairs and rushed over to give their best friend a hug.

Don looked to his right to Skip "Did he…?"

"Yes, not too long ago Raphael and a few other angels ushered him up."

"Raphael?"

"Yes, he's my older brother who's also an archangel." Skip explained.

"You're an archangel? Why did he get ushered up by archangels?" Don inquired.

"All men of Easy Company get ushered up by archangels. They walk behind the solider as they feel unworthy to walk side by side with such amazing humans who fought for the greater good." Gabriel explained.

Don watched silently as Winters walked over to the far side of the room and studied the different chairs lining the far wall. He noticed the two archangels go to attention and salute Winters before turning on heel and marching out.

"What are the chairs for?" Don asked.

"Each Easy member has a special chair that is just theirs for eternity. You'll have your own chair when the time comes."

Don couldn't help but smile as he watched Winters pick a chair and walk over and place it next to Nixon and Welsh.

Gabriel placed a hand on Don's arm "Time to head back."

Don blinked back the tears of happiness and sadness of having to leave his brothers in arms. Don watched as the men blurred and faded from view. Closing his eyes he tried to hold on to the image of all of them alive and happy.

Opening his eyes he was alone again kneeling at Skip's grave. Bracing himself he put a hand on the cross and stood up slowly. He re-arranged the flowers and went to attention and saluted his fallen friend. When he had relaxed he put his hands in the pockets of his coat. He became puzzled when his fingers wrapped around a strange object in his pocket. Pulling it out he gasped as in his hand was the entire rosary that Skip had back at the beginning of WWII. Bringing the cross up to his lips he gently kissed it and looking up at the sky as tears fell whispered "Save a chair for me Skip…Currahee!"

Don turned and headed slowly back toward the bus, his heart rejoiced as the wind in the trees seemed to answer back to him a heavenly chorus of "Currahee!"

* * *

Back in the seedy hotel room, Dean sat silently at the table by the window while Sam sat on the edge of the bed closest to the door.

"Man, what a day" Sam muttered, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck.

"No shit, this was a day of days, never thought I'd actually witness Bastogne" Dean said tapping his fingers on the table.

"I know right? I can't shake how quick Skip's death was" Sam said meekly as he looked down at his hands.

"I know, hurts worse knowing he died so young" Dean said as he poured himself a drink and pounded back half of it in one go.

"I wonder what Gabriel will do now that's he's resurrected?" Sam asked quietly afraid of the answer.

Suddenly the sound of wings filled the room as both Gabriel and Castiel appeared.

"I thought I felt my ears burning boys, were you gossiping about me?" Gabriel chided.

"Yea, we were just wondering what your plans are now that you were back amongst the living?" Sam inquired.

"Well…let's see. I was thinking first go get laid, then have a pizza…"

"Gabriel…" Castiel scolded.

"Geez, relax Cassie, I was just making a joke. The truth is boys, I'm heading up a new Garrison of Angels and I need some mortal help." Gabriel explained as he walked over to Sam.

Gabriel reached into his pocket and pulled out two silver pins. Reaching down he pinned one to Sam's collar of his plaid work shirt then handed over the other to Castiel who walked over and pinned it to Dean's t-shirt.

Dean looking down as he ran a finger over the silver wings surrounding a parachute looked up in confusion.

"What are these pins?" Sam asked.

Castiel and Gabriel shared a look before Gabriel broke out in a grin "they're your wings dumbo."

Sam shook his head in disbelief, "our wings?"

"You are now mortal members of AAD" Gabriel explained. When he saw the looks of confusion on the two Winchesters he rolled his eyes, sighing "the 101st Airborne Angel Division."

"Gabriel believes that since the apocalypse is upon us that it was time to go out in the world and kick ass and take names." Castiel said as he tilted his head slightly. Dean couldn't help the grin he had as he noticed a pair of wings glinting softly on the lapel of Castiel's overcoat.

Sam and Dean chuckled lightly before looking at each other as they stood up and walked over to the two angels.

"Well, where do we start?" Dean asked shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I hear there's a demon uprising in Saint Charles, Missouri" Gabriel explained pointing to a map that instantly appeared on the wall.

Sam walked over and looked at the map for a few minutes, turned around his eyes and features serious as he looked at the other three in the room and simply said the only thing that came to mind "Currahee."

Dean, Gabriel, and Castiel looked at each other sharing a knowing look as they all made their way over to him. A smile broke out on Dean's face as the three of them answered back in unison "Currahee!"

FIN.


End file.
